Acid cooling and generating chamber.



PATENTED APR. so, 1901.

I. I. LIHME.

ACID COOLING AND GENERATING CHAMBER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.14,1905.

QQ QQQEQQQQ UDDQUDDDDDU lilllllllll llllllIlL D DU un- UD UH ID ED DDlllill UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IENS P. LIHME, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO THE GRASSELLI CHEM-vICAL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed March 14,1905. I Serial No.2l50,031.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IENs P. LIHME, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AcidCooling and Generating Chambers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in acid cooling and generatingchamber employed in themanufacture of sulfuric acid, and has for itsobject, the provision of means for more effectively generating saidacid, and for very materially reducin the cost of the plant formanufacturing sai acid.

My improvements as herein explained are particularly applicable to anintermediate chamber designed to be positioned between the differentacid chambers, which, by reason ofthe greater facility afforded thereinfor the union of the elements or groups thereof forming said acid, andfor the ready release of nitrogen trioxid, serves not only to effect thedesired combination or union more readily, but permits of a verymaterial reduction in the size, area and cost of the lead chambers,while maintaining the gaseous elements at a much lower temperature,whereby the leaden wall]: of said chambers are preserved from at. tac

I will explain my invention as embodied in an intermediate chamber of anacid producmg plant; the same comprising series of ventilating pipes orpassages and alternating acid-generating or condensing .cellularpartitions, through which the gaseous elements are assed to effect theircooling, subsequent com ination or conversion into acid, and re lease ofthe combining medium. L

- My invention will be more readily explained by making reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 illustrates by a perspective view, partially broken away, theintermediate acid-cooling and generating chamber of my invention; Fig. 2is an enlarged detail in longitudinal section, showing the base of aventilatingfipe, and a portion of the tile parti-, t1on an Fig. 3 is anenlarged fragment in perspective, partially broken away, illustr'atmgthe tile walls with their inner recesses or basins.

The structure. shown, it will be understood,

chambers proper, and is so designed as to afford as little resistance tothe-flow 0r passage of the gaseous elements, as is possible. Saldchamber consists essentially of a lead lined compartment a, having inletandoutlet ipes 'v, o for the gases. Within said chamher are providedalternating series of lead ventilating pipes c, which are constantlyopen above and below to the air, and are cooled by the circulation ofthe air therethrough. Alternating therewith are artition walls d, oflongitudinally perforate tiles d, the same having interior recesses orbasins d adopted to hold the generated acid. These tiles are k formed ofany suitable size from acid-resisting material, as for example withdouble openings d, separated by a strengthening web d extending from theforward lip d to the top of the tile, as best shown in F ig. 3. Singletiles (1, as alternately ositione at the ends, may likewise be use Itwill be understood, of course, that these tiles may be made of anysuitable material, which is acidproof or acid resisting, since it isobvious that the tiles are constantly subject to the condensing acid ata relatively elevated temperature, and, in consequence, would render theacid impure, were the material subject to attack thereby. At the furtherend of the chamber is an exit pipe e, an acidrece tacle f, and a secondpipe 9 for drawing 01f t e accumulated supply of acid, which may beduplicated between each of the condensers d, d, if desired.

In the detail shown in Fig. 2, I have illustrated the lead floor it ofthe chamber, carrying the lead angle plates 1), which inclose the basesof the ventilating pipes 0. These pipes are seated over a short thimble1' extending through the floor, while above, said pi es are coo ingchamber, and the tile partitions,- since any builder would be able toprovide ,the same to meet given cond tions.

. I will now endeavor to explain the function of my -im roved structure,as I understand it, and t e process'of acid manufacture as conductedtherein.

The gaseous elements, comprising sulfur dioxid, nitrogen trioxid,oxygen, and a small amount of water uniting to form nitrosul'furic theopening b, and first come in contact with the series of cooling pi es 0,which serve to lower the temperature t ereof, since the heat readilypasses through the leadwalls of said pipes, and is carried away by thecirculation of the air. The gaseous'or vaporous acid in the form of amistcontaining a sh ht excess of water, then comes in contact wit thefirst tile partition d, and here the gaseous nitrosulfuric acidencounters the more orless dilute sulfuric acid in the respective basinsd of the tiles and upon the walls thereof, thus splitting up and formingsulfuric acid, which collects at the bottom of the. chamber, and gaseousnitrogen trioxid which is thus freed and will serve again and again toeffect the successive combinations with sulfur dioxid,

water and oxygen to form nitrosulfuric acid, which in turn is split upas previously described. This operation is caused to. occur repeatedlyin ra id succession by the contin uing contact of t e gases, vapor andmist with the series of cooling pipes, and the ex osed surfaces of thetile partitions or aci condensers. The temperature, which is raised u onthe condensation andsplittin out of reduce to the one which-doest esulfuric acid is readil proper working point, and not deleteriouslyaficct the lead walls and pipes of the chamber, through the constantconduction and radiation of heat to the air circulating-within thecooling or ventilating he acid as generated, trickles down'the tilepartitions, and collects in the bottom of the chamber,-,from which it"may be drawn ofi as required; It should be observed that in.my'improved chamber, the acidis not diluted by water or vapor sometimesintro-- duced to efiect a. cooling action.

. To illustrate how much greater efficiency is secured in themanufacture of acid, when my invention is employed, I may state thatinstead of from twenty to twenty-eight. cubic feet of lead chamber spacecommonly provided for each pound of sulfur burned-during. twenty-fourhours, I am enabled to reduce the chamber space, so that-but from six toeight cubic feet are necessary, with cease 7 quent materiel savingsinoutlay and cost,

the necessary space required.- In the:

cooling and neratmg chamber itself, as herein described, I calculatethat two pounds of sulfur may be burned each twenty four hours, forevery cubic footpf space- I From a consideration of the foregoing, it

' i will be seen that said chamber provides a gaseous elements, whichresistance a cogent objection'to' theus'e. of 'fi'erent minimum ofresistance-to the passage of the resents:

earlier types of acid-producing apparatus.

Although. I have stated that my improved structure preferable ispositioned betweenlatter, and partition .walls disp ber consisting of lthe several acid chambers of a sulfuric acid acid, findentrance to thechamber through .p

roducing plant, which chambers, accordmgly, may be built. of muchsmaller cubic capacity, and before the Gay Lussac tower, as well, I donot wish-to be understood as necessarily confining the application of myinvention thereto; butI may eventually find it desirable to employ suchchambers alone in the manufacture of sulfuric acid, or commercialproducts requiring similar conditions-for their production. Neither doIconsider my invention as one which is restricted to the precisestructural details herein depicted and described, Thus glass may besubstituted at an increased cost for the tile partitions which I haveherein referred to.

Accord' 1y, I claim as new, and desire to secure by t ese LettersPatent, the follow- 1n 1. An acid cooling and generating cham her havinga series of spaced acid-cooling ventilated pipes arran ed at' intervalsthroughout. its length an transverse of the latter, and partition wallsdisposed between saig es distantly spaced therefrom, sa1

p was consisting of longitudinally. perforated tiles disposed msuperlmposed relation,

substantially asset forth.

2. In an acld producing or generatin chamber, the combinatlon with alead-line chamber e'xtenorly sealed, series of.vertical lead pipesextending therethrough wherein currents of air circulate to cool thesame, of partition walls disposed midway between each of said series ofpi es and spaced at a distance therefrom; sai artition walls beingformed of acid-proof t1 es with numerous therethrough, means fortransverse openings supl ng the acid-producing elements tosaid ch dmhbrand for conducting away the acid as formed, substantially as set forth.

3. An acid cooling and generating chamher having a series of spacedacid-cooling d. at intervals transverse of the I osed between es andspaced therefrom, said walls a plurality of elements each ventilatedpipes arran throughout its length an said pi consistihg of 1 having aninterior basinto hold the gener-- ated acid, substantially as setforth.v

4. In a sulfuric acid-making plant, the combination with adjacentchambers thereof.

of an intermediate chamber comprisin a lead-lined com artment having aseries o air cooling ipes isposed in spaced and transverse re ationtherein, and condensing particonsist' of elements having 0 en ends andformed with interior basins to ho d the gener- Jated acid, substantiallyas set forth.

having a serles of s lated pipes arrange its length and transverse tothe la'ter,

' tions disposed between said series of pipes and I condensingpartitions disposed between said series of ventilating pipes, each ofsaid partitions being formed with a plurality of apertures which extendlongitudinally through the same and with a plurality of interior basinsto'hold the generated acid, substantially as set forth.

6. In a sulfuric acid-making plant, the combination with adjacentchambers thereof, of an intermediate chamber comprising a linedcompartment formed with a series of ventilating pipes at spacedintervals throughout its length, and artition walls disposed betweensaid series of pipes, each of said walls consisting of a series ofopen-ended receptacles formed with interior basins, and (115- posed insuper-imposed relation, substantially as set forth.

7. An acid cooling and generating chamber consisting of a receptacleclosed on all sides and having an inlet and an outlet in its ends, aseries'of spaced transversely arranged acid-cooling ventilated pipeslocated at intervals throughout the length of said receptacle, and aseries of artition walls dis osed between said series of pipes, saidwalls eing spaced at their ends from said pipes, and consisting of aplurality of tiles formed with basins and arranged in superimposedrelation and transverse of the length of said receptacle, substantiallyas set forth.

8. An acid cooling and generating chamber consisting of a receptaclehaving an inlet and an outlet in its opposite ends, a series of spacedacid-cooling ventilated pipes arranged at intervals throughout thelength of said rece tacle and transverse of the'saine, and partitionwalls disposed between said pipes, said walls consisting of tilesarranged in superimposed relation and having interior basins to hold thegenerated acid, substantially as set forth.

9. An acid cooling and generating chamber, consisting of a receptaclehaving a series of spaced transversely disposed ventilated pipes, andpartition walls arranged between said series of pipes; said wallsconsisting of tiles having interior basins and being open at the ends,substantially as set forth.

Signed at Cleveland, this 11th day of March, 1905, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

IENS P. LIHME. Witnesses:

G. E. GIsNsY, ALBERT LYNN LAWRENCE.

